Parent Information
The best way to find out is to ask! All of our leaders will be delighted to talk to you about your child joining scouting and keep you informed of their progress. There is also plenty of opportunities for you to help out to support your child and other young people as they develop. Below is a list of common questions and concerns with links to our national website for more details
What do Scouts do?
Scouts are do-ers and give-it-a-go-ers. Yes, we go camping, hiking, swimming, abseiling, cycling and canoeing. But we also get to hang out with our friends every week – having fun, playing games, working in a team and taking on new challenges.
Every week we give almost half a million 4-25 year olds the skills they need for school, college, university, the job interview, the important speech, the tricky challenge and the big dreams: the skills they need for life.
Everyone’s welcome here. All genders, races and backgrounds. Regardless of your child’s physical ability – there’s a Scout adventure out there waiting for them. And we’ll help them find it.
Sign up to help your child discover their ‘thing’: from abseiling to coding to performance art and everything in between. Find your local group in the Group Finder.
Find out more UK Scouts.
Camping and the Tawd Vale Adventure Centre
Set in the West Lancashire countryside close to the Leeds-Liverpool canal, Tawd Vale boasts a range of campsites and buildings across 80 acres of woodland. At Tawd Vale we offer opportunities for overnight camps and activities to Scouts, Guides, other youth organisations, schools, colleges and other educational establishments.
Find out more Tawd Vale Adventure Centre.
Keeping young people safe
All of these moments are great for developing young people’s confidence, but we know how daunting it can be for the one packing their overnight bag and waving them off at the gates. And we know it doesn’t necessarily get easier as they grow.
Young people thrive in secure surroundings, at home and away. Wherever we go, we’re serious about keeping them safe.
As a parent or carer, you’re bound to have questions about how we do this.
Read and find out more Merseyside Scouts.
Scouts with additional needs
We know if you’ve got a child in your care with additional needs, doing something new can be scary – for both of you! We pride ourselves on our inclusivity and we do our best to make sure all our members can take part. There’s a lot of flexibility within the Scouts programme to meet individual needs, whether that be a disability, neurodiversity, or an educational, mental health or medical need.
Read and find out more UK Scouts.
All about badges
Animal lover – check. Book worm – check. Photographer – check. Footballer – check. Daredevil – check. You name it, we’ve got a badge for it – over 200 of them actually. Scouts work together on badges at their weekly meetings, away at camps and events or at home. Badges are easy to earn and you don’t need anyone special to sign them off.
There’s never any pressure to do badges. Scouts can do as many or as few as they like. But for those up for a challenge, there are loads of exciting badges to aim for, such as the Chief Scout’s Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards – these are the highest awards that Beavers, Cubs and Scouts can earn. And for those going even further, the Queen’s Scout Award is the top achievement for young people in Scouts.
Read and find out more UK Scouts.
Uniform and costs
Wearing a uniform is comfy and practical. It means no one feels uncomfortable or left out and helps everyone feel part of the group. Our uniform consists of a sweatshirt that you can sew badges on and a coloured scarf or ‘necker’ to represent your local group. There are lots of other optional accessories you can wear such as hats, hoodies, trousers or shorts.
Read and find out more UK Scouts.
Become a Volunteer
Share the adventure. Give a little time and build #SkillsForLife
There’s lots of ways you can get more involved with Scouts as a parent, carer or family member. From helping out occasionally on a family rota or playing a vital role behind the scenes, to stepping up as a leader, our volunteering activities are as varied as you.
We’re talking tidy uppers and tea makers, session planners and Zoom navigators, fundraisers and treasurers, and all round team players to support our young people.
The good news is you shape what you do and the time you have to give. Scouts happens when a lot of us give a little (and no, you don’t have to be a Scout or outdoors expert to volunteer).Read and find out more UK Scouts